The results are in, and they show that a Calgary program has become very successful in helping to keep people out of the emergency room who don’t really need to be there.
The Community Paramedic Program sees trained medical professionals provide a wide range of services to people right in their own homes. These include such things as blood transfusions, electrocardiograms and more. They are given to those with chronic illness as well as seniors and those who are living with a disability.
The project first began three years ago, and it saw a total of 1,600 patients in its first year. So far this year, the number has reached 6,000. According to a person who receives such care, Deb Cousins, the program has been ideal for her particular situation. She can receive treatment at home, which frees up a doctor to see someone else who really needs it. She also remarked that it made it possible for her to return home sooner than if the paramedics were not able to help her. A business card printing company can produce items to give to patients in the hospital letting them know about the service and how they can access it.
So far, it’s estimated that as many as 4,500 visits to the emergency room have been prevented in Calgary this year alone. The team is hoping that these high numbers will result in an increase in their level of funding, which will allow them to increase their number of paramedic teams from five to as many as ten.
